All rules questions can be answered by consulting the latest Official USHA rulebook. If your question is not answered in the rulebook, feel free to call or email the USHA staff to get an official interpretation.

Changes since the last rulebook was released:

Schedule 1:  These are the rules changes passed by the USHA Board, June 2006. (Be sure to check back here for subsequent changes, prior to the printing of the next rulebook.)

Under Part 1. Game, change: 
Rule 1.4 Points and outs. Points are scored  by the serving side when it serves an ace (a serve which is untouched by the receiver’s hand) or wins a rally (except as provided by Rule 3.4.D.4.b, Late start.) When the serving side loses one rally in singles or two rallies in doubles, it loses the serve (except as provided by Rule 4.2.A, Server.) Losing the serve is called an "out."

Under Rule 3.4 Referee D. Forfeitures, add:
5) Player forfeiture.  A match must be played in its entirety with both players/teams on the court (See Rule 3.4.D.4.b).  Partial forfeits, such as any player forfeiting the second game and progressing directly to a tiebreaker, are not allowed.  A forfeit of any part of a match shall result in the forfeit of the entire match.

Under 4.1 Serve, change:
D. Manner (Legal serve).

Under 4.3 A. Dead-ball Serves, change:
2.) Broken ball. If the ball is determined to have broken before the serve has become a legal serve, an approved ball must be put into play and the serve shall be replayed. (See Rule 4.6.J)

Under 4.6, change:
J. Broken ball. If there is any suspicion that a ball has broken on the serve or during a rally, play continues until the end of the rally. An official or any player may request that the ball be examined by the referee. If the referee decides the ball is broken, an approved ball must be put into play and the point replayed. Once a succeeding serve is attempted, the previous rally stands. (See Rule 4.3.A.2)

Under Part 4, Rule 4.6.J, change:
Interpretation No. 8.  The ball does not have to be completely broken to warrant a replay.  A ball this starting to crack will often have an erratic bounce.  The referee should call for a replay only if he/she determines that a ball has cracked sufficiently to cause an erratic bounce. If a player suspects a ball has cracked, he/she should immediately toss it to the referee for inspection. No player shall make any physical effort to determine if the ball is cracked or otherwise unplayable without the express consent of the referee. This is solely the referee's responsibility and he/she will make the replay call if necessary. At the referee’s discretion, if a ball is found to be unplayable due to the unauthorized physical efforts of any player, it shall be deemed to have been made unplayable by that player’s actions and not during the rally, and the preceding rally shall not be replayed.

Under 4.6, change:
L. Replays. Whenever a rally is replayed for any reason, the server is awarded two serves. All previous defective serves are voided.

For the One-Wall Addendum (Changes from four-wall rules)

Under 4.3 Defective Serves, add:
A. Dead-ball serves. A dead-ball serve results in no penalty and the server is given another serve without canceling a prior defective serve or hinder fault.

These are the official published USHA handball rules, as of April 15, 2005. Any changes in these rules will be maintained by the USHA and are available at the USHA web site at www.ushandball.org The rules as posted on the web site shall supersede this publication.

Schedule 2: These are the rules changes passed by the USHA Board, May 2007.

Rule 5.6 Tournament conduct. In all USHA-sanctioned tournaments, the referee is empowered to default a match if a player conducts himself/herself in a manner detrimental to the tournament or the game of handball. This includes the authority of the referee and/ortournament director to remove disruptive or abusive people, and to default a match if such individuals are not removed. Additionally, in all USHA-sanctioned tournaments, the tournament director is empowered to prohibit further participation, and/or to remove, anyone who conducts himself/herself in a manner detrimental to the event or the game of handball. 

Part 5, Rule 5.6:  Interpretation No. 23Coaching is allowed, however, only in a manner consistent with the behavior expected of any other spectator.  Any coaching is expressly prohibited from the time the referee announces the score to the time the rally ends, and is subject to the removal and default provisions of this rule.

A.  Junior and collegiate players shall abide by the USHA Code of Conduct as it appears on the USHA web site, at www.ushandball.org.